Viswanathan Anand, a five-time world champion, appears to have made insightful predictions regarding the chess Candidates tournament, particularly evident from the standings at the midpoint of the event.
Anand’s selection of Fabiano Caruana was largely expected and widely supported, but it was his early endorsement of Javokhir Sindarov that truly stood out. Currently, the Uzbek player is leading the tournament with an impressive score of 6 out of 7 games, comprising five victories and two draws, as the players prepare for the upcoming rematches. His winning streak was recently interrupted by a draw against Anish Giri. Although uncertainties remain, Sindarov seems to be in a strong position, with Caruana trailing by a point and a half.
What particularly caught Anand’s attention was Sindarov’s resilience in tough scenarios. “He has a knack for scoring points even when facing adversity. Defeats do not seem to faze him,” he remarked.
Anand’s reasoning for his endorsement of Caruana stemmed from the latter’s diverse skill set. “He continues to play creatively and introduces innovative ideas. Caruana is a player who others can study and learn from,” Anand praised. Caruana remains a strong contender, leading the group of challengers, while R Praggnanandhaa sits in joint third place, needing several wins to close the 2.5-point gap.
When asked by Chess.com about the prospect of a World Championship match between Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh in India, Anand responded, “It would be fantastic for India. It’s an exciting matchup featuring two young talents, both in their twenties. It sounds promising, but we’ll have to wait and see.” This remark also alluded to Sindarov, who he had previously identified as a formidable competitor.
Although Anand acknowledged Hikaru Nakamura’s skills, he pointed out that Nakamura had not yet found his footing in the tournament in Cyprus. He referenced Nakamura’s ongoing struggle with what he described as the “two buffet” dilemma, suggesting that the American often wrestles with the choice between going for a victory or settling for a draw to remain competitive.
Nakamura’s recent loss to Sindarov and the lengthy 66 minutes he took for a single move illustrated this dilemma. In a light-hearted moment, when informed by Chess.com India that Nakamura had not participated in any over-the-board games recently, Anand quipped, “Yes, I still find it fascinating that there’s something known as over-the-board. It used to be simply called chess.”
